SB: 2023 in season news

[flyingMoose]

Games through 9 Apr

NFCA Rankings: 20 (from 22)

ESPN.com/USA Softball Rankings: 23 (from 25)


RPI: 24 for the Shockers, 34 for UCF, 56 for USF

[shockerfan_realist]

Also not sure if posted somewhere but heard it was a wrist on Zoe

[1972Shocker]

Impressive stats and great action pic of Syd.

[flyingMoose]

Games through 16 Apr

NFCA Rankings: 23 (from 20)

ESPN.com/USA Softball Rankings: ?? (from 23)


RPI: 25 for the Shockers, 38 for UCF, 56 for USF

[SubGod22]

And third in hits per game. She could very well be flirting with 5th by the end of the weekend series.

[1972Shocker]

And third in hits per game. She could very well be flirting with 5th by the end of the weekend series.

Glad Taylor or whoever does the chart added the hits per game stat.

[flyingMoose]

Currently, LiveStats thinks this game is Wednesday. I think I have seen the team schedules bounce between Wednesday and Tuesday in weeks past. At the moment, both schedules say Tuesday and both LS say Wednesday. We (you, actually - I am away) shall see.

The OSU LiveStats is not listed since the game is "tomorrow." For your convenience, this is the Shocker LiveStats link, also tomorrow as mentioned.

[WuShock16]

And third in hits per game. She could very well be flirting with 5th by the end of the weekend series.

Hits per game could be misleading because we just know of the hits per game of those on that list. I suppose that it is possible that someone could have more hits per game but just didn't get as many games in (perhaps injury or otherwise) and thus didn't make the overall Top 10 list.

[1972Shocker]

Hits per game could be misleading because we just know of the hits per game of those on that list. I suppose that it is possible that someone could have more hits per game but just didn't get as many games in (perhaps injury or otherwise) and thus didn't make the overall Top 10 list.

Usually, many stats that are on a per game or per at bat, etc. provide a minimum number of games, etc. to qualify. Your see that all the time. You don't qualify for a batting average title if you go 1-1. So in this case if you want to set the minimum number of games your probably wanting that to cover at least 3 years for a career stat so somewhere around 180 games. So yes, there might be a few with a lesser amount of games but I would be surprised if there were more than a couple that would make this list. In any case this list is about excellence over and extended period of time. Also if you want to include a lesser number of games, say for a 2-year juco transfer, then compare that to say Sydney's numbers for her last 2 years which are just a shade north of 1.9 hits per game.

[SubGod22]

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - USA Softball Names McKinney Top 25 Finalist for Player of the Year

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State senior shortstop Sydney McKinney has been named one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, it was announced Wednesday morning.

A top 10 finalist a season ago, McKinney is once again putting the nation on notice. The Norborne, Mo., native leads the country in batting average (.544) and hits (86), and ranks top 10 nationally in runs (61), triples (7), on base percentage (.583) and total bases (122). McKinney has cracked the NCAA top 10 all-time hits list with 361 career hits. She is a three-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Week and was the NFCA National Player of the Week back in February.

McKinney was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List prior to the season before making the cut at 25. Considered the most distinguished individual honor in Division I college softball, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players from across the country.

Highlighting the 2023 Top 25 Finalists are four fifth-year/graduate students, eight seniors, 10 juniors, one sophomore and two freshman spread across 16 NCAA Division I universities and seven athletic conferences. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads in representation with six member-schools, followed by the Pac-12 with three, American Coast Conference (ACC) and Big 12 with two apiece, and the American Athletic Conference (AAC), ASUN and Big 10 each with one. The Finalists display a wide variety of talent, consisting of 12 position players and 13 pitchers – three of which also shine offensively.

[SubGod22]

We also have some great leaders on this squad.

Yahoo! - How words from teammates helped Sami Hood hit game-winning homer for Wichita State softball

The freshman felt overwhelmed up against the No. 3-ranked softball team in the country. In a tight ball, she felt like she had let down her team by failing to deliver a timely hit.

Her entire attitude shifted, however, when the first two people to meet her were Addison Barnard and Sydney McKinney, Wichita State’s pair of All-American hitters who both delivered words of affirmation to their rattled teammate.

“This was me last year,” Barnard said. “I promise you’re good. All it takes is one. You got this.”

“Just play your game,” McKinney repeated to her. “You’re good.”

With those words in mind, Hood steeled herself for a critical at-bat with a runner on first and two out in the top of the eighth inning. The game was tied in Stillwater, as the Shockers were trying to win to resuscitate their chances of hosting an NCAA Regional.

“I actually closed my eyes on deck,” Hood said. “I envisioned myself making contact and hitting the ball to the right-center gap.”

Hood also went to the plate with a game plan: Oklahoma State ace Lexi Kilfoyl had started her last at-bat with a changeup, so she prepared herself for a first-pitch changeup again.

Sure enough, Kilfoyl delivered the pitch Hood was sitting on. The right-handed batter turned on the pitch and cranked it down the left-field line over the fence for what became the game-winning, two-run home run in No. 23 Wichita State’s 3-1 win over No. 3 Oklahoma State in extra innings.

A really nice article by Taylor (no surprise). Sami is going to be one hell of a player. I know the focus has been on Syd and Addie mostly, rightfully so, but this team has quality depth and talent and this team is going to remain special.

Also in the article, LuLu was out due to illness. Zoe has an arm injury.

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - Aguilar, Hood Shine in Win at No. 3 Oklahoma State

STILLWATER, Okla. – A pair of freshmen lifted No. 23 Wichita State to an extra inning win, 3-1, at No. 3 Oklahoma State Tuesday night at Cowgirl Stadium.

Sami Hood hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning with two outs and Alex Aguilar held the potent Oklahoma State offense to just one run on eight hits.

Wichita State (37-8) completed the regular season sweep of the Cowgirls with Tuesday's win in 8.0 innings after earning an 8-7 win just two weeks ago in Wichita. It marks Wichita State's highest ranked road win in school history, backing up the win against OSU at home.

The Shockers are now 3-0 this season in extra inning games, two of those coming in the last four games. Wichita State is 3-1 in games vs. ranked opponents this season, all three top 10 victories.

[wichshock65]

[SubGod22]

NCAA - The 2023 softball field of 64, predicted by D1Softball

NORMAN	CLEMSON
1. Oklahoma* (1)	1. Clemson (16)
4. Robert Morris*	4. UConn*
2. Nebraska	2. South Carolina
3. Arizona	3. UNC Greensboro*
LOS ANGELES	GAINESVILLE
1. UCLA* (2)	1. Florida (15)
4. GCU*	4. Boston*
2. Michigan	2. Oregon
3. Cal State Fullerton*	3. UCF
STILLWATER	FAYETTEVILLE
1. Oklahoma State (3)	1. Arkansas (14)
4. Long Island*	4. SEMO*
2. Wichita State*	2. Baylor
3. Wisconsin	3. South Dakota State*
TALLAHASSEE	AUSTIN
1. Florida State* (4)	1. Texas (13)
4. Princeton*	4. Prairie View A&M*
2. Auburn	2. Texas A&M
3. Charlotte*	3. Arizona State
STANFORD	SEATTLE
1. Stanford (5)	1. Washington (12)
4. Sacramento State*	4. Delaware*
2. Minnesota	2. Ole Miss
3. LMU*	3. Boise State*
KNOXVILLE	ATHENS
1. Tennessee* (6)	1. Georgia (11)
4. Dayton*	4. Canisius*
2. Virginia Tech	2. Cal
3. Indiana	3. Virginia
BATON ROUGE	TUSCALOOSA
1. LSU (7)	1. Alabama (10)
4. Binghamton*	4. Ohio*
2. Louisiana*	2. Central Arkansas*
3. McNeese*	3. Ohio State
EVANSTON	DURHAM
1. Northwestern* (8)	1. Duke (9)
4. UNI*	4. Morgan State*
2. Kentucky	2. Utah
3. Notre Dame	3. Campbell*

They also have a section labeled as Other Potential Hosts and it doesn't include Wichita. It does include Oregon, Baylor and Louisiana.